Baek Cheon's eyes widened, as did Yoo Iseol's, who was usually expressionless.
The overwhelming spectacle of hand shadows filled their vision. The intense sight even made their well-trained bodies momentarily tense.
"Sa..."
Baek Cheon's mouth opened almost instinctively. But Yoo Iseol's sword moved even faster than that instinct.
Paaaat!
Her swift, white sword, as bright as the moonlight piercing through the clouds, clashed against the approaching shadows. Her sword split into dozens, then hundreds, shattering the oncoming shadows in an instant.
Kwaak! Kwaak! Kwaak!
The sharp sword's tip broke and smashed the shadows.
The precision and speed of her strikes were unbelievable for something executed in a moment, causing the once-flaring shadows to lose their strength.
But...
Hwaaaah!
The retreating shadows suddenly doubled, then doubled again. They multiplied to a degree that seemed impossible to chase with a sword. It looked like a white flower blooming profusely.
Soon after.
Tung!
Tung! Tung!
The relentless shadows struck Yoo Iseol repeatedly. Each impact pushed her helplessly backward.
"Same!"
Baek Cheon hurriedly grabbed Yoo Iseol, who was about to fall off the cliff.
"Ugh!"
He quickly thrust his sword into the cliff face. Although it didn't hold perfectly and they slid down, it prevented them from being flung far off the cliff.
Baek Cheon, holding onto Yoo Iseol, clung to the middle of the cliff again.
"Samae! Are you alright?"
"…Yes."
Yoo Iseol wiped the blood from her lips. Both of their eyes simultaneously turned to the cliff's peak, rising sharply.
At the edge of the cliff, silhouetted against the moonlit sky, a figure slowly emerged.
Though unfamiliar, both Baek Cheon and Yoo Iseol instinctively knew who it was. The appearance was unknown, but they recognized the martial arts.
"Thousand-Faced..."
The Thousand-Faced Gentleman frowned.
"This is when you say 'tiresome.'"
Muttering as if he were fed up, he looked at the Mount Hua swordsmen still climbing the cliff.
That damned swordsmanship uniform.
It was now so familiar that it almost felt welcome.
"I admire your tenacity like a leech. But I can't just let you climb the cliff easily. I have my own position to consider."
Baek Cheon's face twisted involuntarily.
'Damn it!'
This is bad.
No matter how accustomed Mount Hua is to such terrain, those climbing the cliff start at a disadvantage compared to those defending from the top.
And of all things, having an absolute powerhouse like the Thousand-Faced Gentleman blocking the way? It couldn't be worse.
To defeat and pass through such a strong opponent, one must have someone of equal strength. But in the current Mount Hua...
Paah!
"Samae!"
As if reading Baek Cheon's thoughts, Yoo Iseol shot up the cliff.
Chaeng!
Her outstretched sword darted towards the Thousand-Faced Gentleman's throat like a venomous snake.
But then, shadows swelled up in front of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman, blocking Yoo Iseol's sword like a wall.
Kaang!
A thunderous sound, like striking a massive iron lump, erupted as the sword and shadows clashed.
Kakakakakak!
Yoo Iseol's sword bent as if it would break. However, she didn't retreat a single inch, instead raising her internal energy to break through the wall.
The Thousand-Faced Gentleman muttered quietly.
"Foolish."
Paaaat!
In an instant, the shadows doubled again, completely engulfing Yoo Iseol's sword strikes and soon enveloping her body.
"Ugh...!"
With no other option, Yoo Iseol twisted her body in midair to escape the attack range.
Fortunately, the numerous shadows did not pursue further, but she was now three zhang (about 10 meters) further down the cliff.
As the shadows scattered, the Thousand-Faced Gentleman looked down at his hand.
"....."
A red line, as if struck by a whip, marked his white hand.
"Sharp, indeed."
Though it wasn't a cut, the impact was undeniable.
"But it's still a long way off. At least for now."
Meanwhile, Baek Cheon bit his lower lip.
The recent clash made it clear.
Yoo Iseol is strong. But to break through the Thousand-Faced Gentleman, who was defending from the top, it would require someone of equal strength.
No matter how strong Yoo Iseol is within Mount Hua, she is inevitably lacking against the Thousand-Faced Gentleman, who has dominated the world for decades.
Urgency filled Baek Cheon's eyes.
They might be pushing through now with momentum, but if they get stuck on this cliff, they could eventually be attacked from the sides and above.
If that happens, the terrain they used to their advantage could become a deadly trap.
'What should we do? At a time like this...'
Baek Cheon gripped his sword so tightly it might break. It's useless to think about someone who isn't here.
If Chung Myung were here, there would be no need for such worries. Before Baek Cheon could even contemplate, Chung Myung would have already driven his sword into the Thousand-Faced Gentleman's neck.
But Chung Myung isn't here now. So they must solve this with who is present. No matter what it takes!
At that moment.
"What's the matter?"
The Thousand-Faced Gentleman's voice, laced with ridicule, reached Baek Cheon's ears.
"Isn't Mount Hua a sect that doesn't worry? Did I misunderstand Mount Hua?"
"...."
"Or... are you not the Mount Hua I knew?"
Baek Cheon's face stiffened instantly.
"You...!"
Suppressing his anger, he was about to retort, but the Thousand-Faced Gentleman's low voice reached his ears first.
"The strategist's words aren't entirely wrong."
Baek Cheon's eyes widened slightly.
Strategist? Ho Gakmyung? Why is his name being mentioned here?
"He said Mount Hua isn't strong. It's the Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword that's strong. The impossible feats Mount Hua has achieved were only possible because of an extraordinary existence called Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword. So..."
Each word from the Thousand-Faced Gentleman pierced the hearts of Baek Cheon and the Mount Hua swordsmen.
"If you can separate the Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword, Mount Hua is nothing and will collapse. Without needing to do anything specific... the foxes who don't realize they're borrowing a tiger's might will collapse on their own. Showing off without knowing the tiger isn't behind them anymore."
The Thousand-Faced Gentleman's gaze fixed precisely on Baek Cheon clinging to the cliff.
"How about it? Seeing it this way, doesn't it seem quite true? What do you think?"
A cold chill ran down Baek Cheon's spine.
Collapse? Mount Hua?
"Nonsense!", Baek Cheon shouted whilst gritting his teeth.
-
"A―mi―ta―bul!"
A loud Buddha's chant echoed.
Uuuuuuuuuung!
At the same time, a large golden handprint rose behind Baek Cheon's back.
"A monk from Shaolin?"
The Thousand-Faced Gentleman sneered and spread his hands wide. A cloud-like force emanated from his hands, enveloping the golden handprint and pressing it down.
Kuuuuuuuung!
The collision of the two energies shook the cliff. The golden handprint shattered and scattered into the dark night sky.
"No matter how remarkable, it can't compare to a Shaolin elder. To face me, you need someone of the Dharma level."
"You bastard!"
Thud! Thud thud thud!
An agitated Jo Gul sprang up the cliff and charged at the Thousand-Faced Gentleman. His sword split into dozens, blooming into a splendid plum blossom at the edge of the cliff.
Kuuung!
But before the plum blossom could fully bloom, the Thousand-Faced Gentleman's formidable force struck the tip of Jo Gul's sword precisely.
"Ugh!"
Unable to fully unleash his inner power, blood spurted from Jo Gul's mouth.
Paaaat!
Simultaneously, the Thousand-Faced Gentleman's force replaced Jo Gul's intended plum blossom, a clear act of mockery.
"You bastard! I'll kill you!"
Jo Gul roared like a beast, his force whirling like a typhoon as it enveloped him.
Just then, Yoon Jong's sword intervened, creating a barrier in the air. It was truly a solid defense.
Kuuuuuuuung!
The force and the sword's energy collided head-on, sending Yoon Jong's body flying back like an arrow.
"Sahyung!"
Jo Gul caught Yoon Jong's back in shock, but the force was too overwhelming to be easily managed.
Both of them slid down, as if standing on an ice cliff.
"Sahyung! Are you alright?"
Barely stopping, Jo Gul grabbed Yoon Jong's shoulders.
"…Damn."
A stream of blood flowed from Yoon Jong's mouth. No matter how refined their inner power was, there was no way to defeat an elder in a head-on collision.
Gritting his teeth, Yoon Jong glared at the top. The Thousand-Faced Gentleman shook his head.
"So, this is it, Mount Hua. Without Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword, you're just hot-blooded youngsters. I overestimated you."
Baek Cheon bit his lip until it bled.
The climbers had stopped, and it was clear their morale had plummeted.
We must break through. If we can't, we're in danger.
'Joint attack?'
No. That's not possible.
This is different from fighting the Black Dragon King on flat ground. A joint attack from below can't work here.
So, what do we do?
He gripped his sword tightly in frustration. He didn't know the method. Even if he did, there was no time to calmly figure it out.
Baek Cheon gritted his teeth and shouted.
"Samae!"
Yoo Iseol met Baek Cheon's eyes. Seeing the determination in his eyes, she grabbed his sleeve and started climbing the cliff.
"Haaaap!"
Baek Cheon shouted a loud battle cry.
One by one won't work. The only way is to overlap our attacks.
Yoo Iseol and Baek Cheon climbed the cliff in one leap.
Just before reaching the Thousand-Faced Gentleman's feet, Baek Cheon swung his arm, throwing Yoo Iseol upwards.
Yoo Iseol soared, drawing a semicircle towards the Thousand-Faced Gentleman. Simultaneously, Baek Cheon thrust his sword at the Thousand-Faced Gentleman's abdomen from below.
"Don't you understand yet?"
Fwaaaaak!
A white hand bloomed like a cloud again.
Kaakakakakang!
Yoo Iseol's desperate sword strike was blocked by the force, sending her body flying again.
Kaang!
Almost simultaneously, Baek Cheon's sword was caught by the Thousand-Faced Gentleman's hand. A sigh escaped Baek Cheon's lips.
"Ah…"
It was a full-force strike, yet it was effortlessly suppressed.
Baek Cheon's eyes, shaking with bewilderment, met the merciless eyes of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman.
"…This sword is not worth fighting against. Such a person led Mount Hua? A fox with its claws pulled out?"
At that moment, undeniable despair appeared in Baek Cheon's eyes. Or perhaps it was sorrow.
"You must pay for your arrogance. Die."
Tung!
The Thousand-Faced Gentleman's left hand swung at Baek Cheon.
To Baek Cheon, it seemed strangely slow. The force that arose in the air covered his vision, flying towards his face, very clearly.
In the face of inevitable death.
Baek Cheon neither closed his eyes tightly nor opened them wide.
Instead, his eyes remained clear and open.
Kwaang!
With a loud explosion, Baek Cheon's body was flung backward. He saw the black night sky and the moon in its center.
But only for a moment.
An unknown force pulled him. Someone caught and supported his body as it floated in the air.
'What is this…'
Baek Cheon saw the stern face of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman and something protruding from his shoulder.
'That's…'
A small knife. A tiny dagger like a child's toy. But to Baek Cheon, it was a familiar object.
"These people aren't the type to be dismissed by the likes of you."
Baek Cheon blankly turned his gaze to the man holding his shoulder.
"Tang Gunak?"
"Are you alright?"
"Uh? Oh… Yes! I'm…"
"It seems it's my turn now. Let me clear the way."
Tang Gunak lightly patted Baek Cheon's shoulder and walked up the cliff. He did so leisurely, as if the near-vertical cliff was a flat ground.
His calm eyes met the twisted eyes of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman in the air.
Tang Gunak spoke.
"'Mount Hua without its Chivalrous Sword is not Mount Hua'... That might be true."
"Poison King… Tang Gunak."
"But even Mount Hua without its Chivalrous Sword is not just any place. Mount Hua is far greater than you think. At least, it's not something an old fiend of the Evil Sect can belittle."
Sreung.
A sharp dagger appeared at Tang Gunak's fingertips.
"Adults have their own battles. Let me see how tough your neck is."
Tang Gunak's eyes emitted a chilling coldness.
(T/N Finally, we're getting to see this donny fight a supreme master apart from Chung Myung)